"6_2_3_21_4.TXT" (15949 bytes) was created on 12-30-88 SPACE SHUTTLE CHRONOLOGY 1985-1988 1985 Jan. 5 Mated Discovery (OV-103), transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A for 51-C Jan. 24 Conduct 51-C, Discovery (OV-103), launch KSC, land KSC, Runway 15, Jan. 27, 72 hours (3 days), 1 hour, 33 minutes, 27 seconds Jan. 27 Discovery (OV-103) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Feb. 10 Challenger (OV-099) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC Feb. 15 Mated Challenger (OV-099), transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A for 51-E March 4 Challenger (OV-099) rollback from Launch Complex 39-A to Vehicle Assembly Building for demate due to a timing problem with the TDRS-B satellite. Telesat-I with PAM-D and TDRS-B with IUS removed into payload changeout room at Launch Complex 39-A prior to rollback. March 7 Challenger (OV-099) transferred from Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility at KSC for remanifest of payload bay from 51-E to 51-B mission March 23 Discovery (OV-103) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC for mating with remanifested new mission March 28 Discovery (OV-103) mated, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A for remanifested new 51-B mission April 6 Atlantis (OV-104) rollout at Rockwell Palmdale assembly facility April 9 Overland transport of Atlantis (OV-104) from Palmdale to Edwards AFB, Calif. April 10 Challenger (OV-099) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC April 12 Conduct 51-D, fourth flight of Discovery (OV-103), launch KSC, land KSC, Runway 33, April 19, 144 hours (6 days), 23 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds April 12 Ferry flight, Atlantis (OV-104) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Ellington AFB, Texas April 13 Ferry flight, Atlantis (OV-104) from Ellington AFB, Texas, to KSC April 14 Atlantis (OV-104) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC April 15 Challenger (OV-099) mated 51-B, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A at KSC for its seventh flight April 19 Discovery (OV-103) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC April 29 Conduct 51-B, seventh flight of Challenger (OV-099), launch KSC, land Edwards AFB, Calif., Runway 17, May 6, 168 hours (7 days), 8 minutes, 46 seconds May 10 Ferry flight, Challenger (OV-099) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kelly AFB, Texas May 10 Atlantis (OV-104) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC for temporary storage May 11 Ferry flight, Challenger (OV-099) from Kelly AFB, Texas, to KSC May 11 Challenger (OV-099) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC May 24 Ferry flight, Enterprise (OV-101) from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., to DFRF, Calif. May 28 Discovery (OV-103) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC May 28 Atlantis (OV-104) transferred from Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC June 4 Discovery (OV-103) mated 51-G, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A, KSC June 17 Conduct 51-G, fifth flight of Discovery (OV-103), launch KSC, land Edwards AFB, Calif., lake bed Runway 23, June 24, 168 hours (7 days), 1 hour, 38 minutes, 52 seconds June 24 Challenger (OV-099) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC June 28 Ferry flight, Discovery (OV-103) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Bergstrom AFB, Texas, to KSC June 29 Challenger (OV-099) mated 51-F, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A, KSC June 29 Discovery (OV-103) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC July 11 Columbia (OV-102) overland transport from Rockwell Palmdale assembly facility to DFRF July 12 Conduct 51-F, eighth flight of Challenger (OV-099), launch scrubbed at T-3 seconds and shutdown of SSMEs due to loss of redundancy (channel A) on SSME 2 chamber coolant valve July 14 Ferry flight, Columbia (OV-102) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Offutt AFB, Neb. July 14 Ferry flight, Columbia (OV-102) from Offutt AFB, Neb., to KSC July 15 Columbia (OV-102) awaiting transfer from KSC demate area to Vehicle Assembly Building transfer aisle, KSC July 16 Columbia (OV-102) at Vehicle Assembly Building transfer aisle, KSC July 18 Atlantis (OV-104) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2, KSC July 18 Columbia (OV-102) transferred from Vehicle Assembly Building transfer aisle to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC July 29 Conduct 51-F, eighth flight of Challenger (OV-099), launch KSC, land Edwards AFB, Calif., lake bed Runway 23, Aug. 6, 168 hours (7 days), 22 hours, 45 minutes, 26 seconds July 30 Discovery (OV-103) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC July 31 Atlantis (OV-104) transferred from Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Aug. 6 Discovery (OV-103) mated 51-I, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A, KSC Aug. 10 Ferry flight, Challenger (OV-099) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to Kelly AFB, Texas Aug. 11 Ferry flight, Challenger (OV-099) from Kelly AFB, Texas, to Eglin AFB, Fla., to KSC Aug. 11 Atlantis (OV-104) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC Aug. 12 Challenger (OV-099) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Aug. 24 Conduct 51-I, sixth flight of Discovery (OV-103), launch scrubbed at T-5 minutes due to weather Aug. 25 Conduct 51-I, sixth flight of Discovery (OV-103), launch scrubbed at T-9 minutes due to a comparison check between the primary set and backup flight control general- purpose computers Aug. 27 Conduct 51-I, sixth flight of Discovery (OV-103), launch KSC, land Edwards AFB, Calif., lake bed Runway 23, Sept. 3, 168 hours (7 days), 2 hours, 17 minutes, 42 seconds Aug. 29 Atlantis (OV-104) mated 51-J, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A, KSC Sept. 7 Ferry flight, Discovery (OV-103) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kelly AFB, Texas Sept. 8 Columbia (OV-102) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC, for temporary storage Sept. 8 Ferry flight, Discovery (OV-103) from Kelly AFB, Texas, to KSC Sept. 8 Discovery (OV-103) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Sept. 12 Flight readiness firing of Atlantis (OV-104) for 20 seconds at Launch Complex 39-A, KSC Sept. 20 Ferry flight, Enterprise (OV-101) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kelly AFB, Texas, to KSC Sept. 26 Discovery (OV-103) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC Sept. 26 Columbia (OV-102) transferred from Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Oct. 3 Conduct 51-J, first flight of Atlantis (OV-104), launch KSC, land Edwards AFB, Calif., lake bed Runway 23, Oct. 7, 96 hours (4 days), 1 hour, 44 minutes, 38 seconds Oct. 11 Ferry flight, Atlantis (OV-104) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kelly AFB, Texas, to KSC Oct. 12 Challenger (OV-099) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC Oct. 12 Atlantis (OV-104) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Oct. 16 Challenger (OV-099) mated 61-A, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A, KSC Oct. 30 Conduct 61-A, ninth flight of Challenger (OV-099), launch KSC, land Edwards AFB, Calif., lake bed Runway 17, Nov. 6, 168 hours (7 days), 44 minutes, 51 seconds Nov. 8 Atlantis (OV-104) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC Nov. 10 Ferry flight, Challenger (OV-099) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to Kelly AFB, Texas Nov. 11 Ferry flight, Challenger (OV-099) from Kelly AFB, Texas, to Eglin AFB, Fla., to KSC Nov. 11 Challenger (OV-099) in Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Nov. 12 Atlantis (OV-104) mated 61-B, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A, KSC Nov. 18 Enterprise (OV-101) ferry flight from KSC to Dulles Airport, Washington, D.C., becomes property of Smithsonian Nov. 22 Columbia (OV-102) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building for mating, KSC Nov. 22 Discovery (OV-103) transferred from Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Nov. 26 Conduct 61-B, second flight of Atlantis (OV-104), launch KSC, land Edwards AFB, Calif., concrete Runway 22, Dec. 3, 144 hours (6 days), 21 hours, 4 minutes, 49 seconds Dec. Structural spare midfuselage on dock Palmdale for storage Dec. 1 Columbia (OV-102) mated 61-C, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-A, KSC Dec. 7 Ferry flight, Atlantis (OV-104) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kelly AFB, Texas, to KSC Dec. 8 Discovery (OV-103) transferred from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC, for modification period Dec. 8 Atlantis (OV-104) in Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Dec. 16 Challenger (OV-099), rollover from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC Dec. 19 Conduct 61-C, seventh flight of Columbia (OV-102), launch scrubbed at T-13 seconds due to right-hand SRB auxiliary power unit turbine system B overspeed Dec. 22 Challenger (OV-099), mated 51-L, transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-B, KSC 1986 Jan. Structural spare body flap on dock Palmdale for storage Jan. 5 Discovery (OV-103) transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Jan. 6 Conduct 61-C, seventh flight of Columbia (OV-102), launch scrubbed at T-31 seconds due to a launch facility liquid oxygen replenish valve problem Jan. 7 Conduct 61-C, seventh flight of Columbia (OV-102), launch scrubbed at T-9 minute hold due to adverse weather conditions at both transatlantic abort sites Jan. 10. Conduct 61-C, seventh flight of Columbia (OV-102), launch scrubbed at T-9 minute hold due to adverse weather conditions at KSC Jan. 12 Conduct 61-C, seventh flight of Columbia (OV-102), launch KSC, land concrete Runway 22, Edwards AFB, Calif., Jan. 18, night landing, 144 hours (6 days), 2 hours, 3 minutes, 51 seconds Jan. 16 Discovery (OV-103) transported from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC Jan. 19 Discovery (OV-103) transported from Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Jan. 22 Ferry flight, Columbia (OV-102) from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to Kelly AFB, Texas Jan. 23 Ferry flight, Columbia (OV-102) from Kelly AFB, Texas, to Eglin AFB, Fla., to KSC Jan. 23 Discovery (OV-103) transported from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC Jan. 23 Columbia (OV-102) at Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC Jan. 27 Conduct 51-L, tenth flight of Challenger (OV-099) launch KSC, first launch of space shuttle from Launch Complex 39-B, launch scrubbed at T-9 minute hold due to unacceptable crosswind conditions at KSC runway in the event of a return-to-launch-site abort Jan. 28 Conduct 51-L, tenth flight of Challenger (OV-099), launch KSC, first launch of space shuttle from Launch Complex 39-B, loss of vehicle and flight crew March 17 Atlantis (OV-104) rollover from Orbiter Processing Facility to transfer aisle of Vehicle Assembly Building for short-term storage, KSC April 1 Discovery (OV-103) rollover from High Bay 2 of Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC April 10 Discovery (OV-103) rollover from Orbiter Processing Facility to High Bay 2 of Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC April 10 Altantis (OV-104) rollover from transfer aisle of Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC May 20 Atlantis (OV-104) rollover from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2, KSC May 20 Discovery (OV-103) rollover from Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 to Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC June 4 Discovery (OV-103) rollover from Orbiter Processing Facility to High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC June 24 Columbia (OV-102) transferred from Bay 1 to Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC June 26 Discovery (OV-103) rollover from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Bay 1 of the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC July Structural spare vertical stabilizer (rudder/speed brake) on dock Palmdale for storage Sept. 17 Discovery (OV-103) rollover from Bay 1 of the Orbiter Processing Facility to High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC Oct. 9 Transfer of Atlantis (OV-104) mated, minus SSMEs, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-B for weather protection fit checks, payload bay operations, SRB flight readiness test, terminal countdown demonstration test, and emergency egress simulation, KSC Oct. 30 Transfer of Discovery (OV-103) from High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Bay 1 of the Orbiter Processing Facility for modifications, KSC Nov. 22 Transfer of Atlantis (OV-104) mated from Launch Complex 39-B to Vehicle Assembly Building, KSC 1987 March 13 Transfer of Columbia (OV-102) from Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility to High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building for storage, KSC March 20 Transfer of Atlantis (OV-104) from Vehicle Assembly Building to Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC July 31 NASA awards contract to Rockwell to build replacement orbiter (OV-105) using structural spares; authority to proceed. Aug. 3 Discovery (OV-103) power-up in Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 for modification retest Aug. 3 Start Palmdale facility activation/training Sept. 9 Transfer of Columbia (OV-102) from High Bay 2 of Vehicle Assembly Building to Orbiter Maintenance and Refurbishment Facility for modifications, KSC Sept. 14 Start system fabrication, assembly and initial system installation, body flap, OV-105, Palmdale Sept. 28 Start system fabrication, assembly and initial system installation, OV-105 Sept. 28 Start system fabrication, assembly and initial system installation, crew module, OV-105 Oct. 19 Start system fabrication, assembly and initial system installation, midfuselage, OV-105, Palmdale Nov. 30 Start system fabrication, assembly and initial system installation, vertical stabilizer, OV-105, Palmdale Dec. 9 Atlantis (OV-104) power-up in Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 for modification retest Dec. 22 Wings on dock Palmdale, OV-105 1988 Jan. 6 Space shuttle main engine No. 1 on dock KSC for Discovery (OV-103) Jan. 11 Start system fabrication, assembly and initial system installation, forward RCS, OV-105, Downey Jan. 11 Start system fabrication, assembly and initial system installation, lower forward fuselage, OV-105, Downey Jan. 15 Space shuttle main engine No. 2 on dock KSC for Discovery (OV-103) Jan. 21 Space shuttle main engine No. 3 on dock KSC for Discovery (OV-103) Jan. 26 Right-hand OMS/RCS pod transported from the Hypergolic Maintenance and Checkout Facility to the Orbiter Processing Facility at KSC for installation on Discovery (OV-103) Jan. 29 Left-hand OMS/RCS pod transported from the Hypergolic Maintenance and Checkout Facility to the Orbiter Processing Facility at KSC for installation on Discovery (OV-103) Feb. 8 Forward RCS transported from the Hypergolic Maintenance and Checkout Facility to the Orbiter Processing Facility at KSC for installation on Discovery (OV-103) Feb. 15 Right-hand OMS/RCS pod for OV-105 on dock Palmdale (install as much thermal protection system as possible; otherwise, pod would remain at McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis, Mo., for a year awaiting hardware) Feb. 22 Left-hand OMS/RCS pod for OV-105 on dock Palmdale (install as much thermal protection system as possible; otherwise, pod would remain at McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis, Mo., for a year awaiting hardware) Feb. 29 Start final assembly and closeout system installation of wings to midfuselage, OV-105, Palmdale